BANGKOK, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Pro-election protest leaders in Thailand's capital Bangkok turned themselves into police on Tuesday after police blocked a march held on the 4th anniversary of the 2014 coup.

Protest leader Rangsiman Rome, together with other two leaders, asked the pro-election protesters to go home before they were driven away by police.

After camping out at Thammasat University in Bangkok overnight, activists and pro-election protesters were blocked from leaving the campus to march to Government House Tuesday morning as they planned.

Six protest leaders are facing charges of gathering of five or more people for political purposes, which were prohibited by ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) since the 2014 coup.

The group of several hundred protesters demanded an election be held this year.

They planned to march to Government House, where they would read a statement calling for general election to be held sooner.

More than 2,000 police personnel stationed the campus. They were seen dragging out barricades to prevent protesters proceeding along the road.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted the poll would be no sooner than early 2019.

"They can demand all they want but the law is the law," Prayut said at a press briefing. "There will be a general election early next year, no sooner than that. We will have to progress according to the readiness of related organic laws."

The ruling NCPO came into power after 2014 coup, which toppled then elected Pheu Thai government. Its four-year reign already equals a term of an elected government.

Thai pro-election march dismissed as protest leaders surrender

Source: Xinhua
2018-05-22 19:08:22

[Editor: huaxia]

BANGKOK, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Pro-election protest leaders in Thailand's capital Bangkok turned themselves into police on Tuesday after police blocked a march held on the 4th anniversary of the 2014 coup.

Protest leader Rangsiman Rome, together with other two leaders, asked the pro-election protesters to go home before they were driven away by police.

After camping out at Thammasat University in Bangkok overnight, activists and pro-election protesters were blocked from leaving the campus to march to Government House Tuesday morning as they planned.

Six protest leaders are facing charges of gathering of five or more people for political purposes, which were prohibited by ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) since the 2014 coup.

The group of several hundred protesters demanded an election be held this year.

They planned to march to Government House, where they would read a statement calling for general election to be held sooner.

More than 2,000 police personnel stationed the campus. They were seen dragging out barricades to prevent protesters proceeding along the road.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted the poll would be no sooner than early 2019.

"They can demand all they want but the law is the law," Prayut said at a press briefing. "There will be a general election early next year, no sooner than that. We will have to progress according to the readiness of related organic laws."

The ruling NCPO came into power after 2014 coup, which toppled then elected Pheu Thai government. Its four-year reign already equals a term of an elected government.